Elephant Mountain WMA: public hunting, 2026-27 seasons and access
Elephant Mountain WMA is 23,147 acres of public hunting land in Brewster County, Texas, TPWD unit #725. Adults hunt it on the $48 Annual Public Hunting Permit. TPWD's 2026-27 map booklet lists dove, quail and rabbits and hares as legal game here. The entire area is closed Sep. 21-25, Oct. 5-7, Nov. 3-6, Nov. 26-Dec. 13, and Jan. 5-8.
Data updated October 2026. Seasons and rules: TPWD's 2026-27 Map Booklet for Public Hunting Lands. Boundaries: TPWD's Public Hunt Locator map.
This areaOther public hunting landNo hunting zoneCounty lineLake or riverHighway
| TPWD unit | #725 |
|---|---|
| Size | 23,147 acres (TPWD booklet); 23,073 acres mapped |
| County | Brewster County |
| Permit | Annual Public Hunting Permit ($48) |
| Legal game listed | Dove, Quail and Rabbits and Hares |
| Deer | No deer season for walk-in hunters in the booklet |
| Closed | Sep. 21-25, Oct. 5-7, Nov. 3-6, Nov. 26-Dec. 13, and Jan. 5-8. |
| White-tailed deer unit | TPWD unit 01 |
| Towns | Alpine (22 mi) |
| Highways | TX 118 |
What can you hunt on Elephant Mountain WMA in 2026-27?
TPWD's 2026-27 booklet lists 3 legal game entries for Elephant Mountain WMA, none of them deer. Every line below is TPWD's own wording.
| Species or season | What TPWD's 2026-27 booklet says |
|---|---|
| Dove | Sept. 1-14, Sept. 19-Oct. 26, Dec. 14-Jan 4, and Jan. 9-12 provided these dates occur within the established Central Zone season. Hunters are required to deposit one wing from each dove harvested in registration station before exiting the area. |
| Quail | Nov. 1-2, Nov. 7-25, Dec. 14-Jan. 4, and Jan. 9-Feb. 28. Hunters are required to deposit one wing from each quail harvested in registration station before exiting the area. |
| Rabbits and Hares | (no bag limit) Concurrent with dove and quail hunts. Shotgun only. |
What are the rules on Elephant Mountain WMA?
- Permit and registration: OSR Required.
- General use: All public access requires on-site registration. Hunting and general use is restricted to portions of the WMA which are identified as being open by information posted at the Information/Registration Station. See “Schedule of Recreational Use and Visitation” for more information on access permit requirements. Driving tour is open ONLY Mar. 1-Aug. 31. Camping is permitted within the designated primitive camping area only. All public use is restricted to the camping area from two hours after official sunset until two hours before official sunrise. User should check for local burn-bans before lighting campfires (432/364-2228).
- Closed: Entire area closed: Sep. 21-25, Oct. 5-7, Nov. 3-6, Nov. 26-Dec. 13, and Jan. 5-8.
Source: TPWD 2026-27 Map Booklet for Public Hunting Lands, unit #725 (PDF).
Which parts of Elephant Mountain WMA are closed or limited?
TPWD's map of Elephant Mountain WMA marks no hunting zones. No hunting zones are closed to all hunting. Measured inside the boundary from TPWD's own polygons:
| Zone | Acres | Share of Elephant Mountain WMA |
|---|---|---|
| No hunting zones | 9,130 | 39.6% |
Measured by FilledTag from TPWD's Public Hunt Locator map. Posted signs and the booklet's map are the final word on the ground.
How do you get to Elephant Mountain WMA?
Elephant Mountain WMA lies in Brewster County. Nearest towns: Alpine (22 miles). Highways within 5 miles: TX 118 (it crosses or touches the area).
TPWD's map points for Elephant Mountain WMA: 1 info station and 1 camp site.
TPWD's page says: Year round except: except entire area closed for special hunts. TPWD's page gives the area as 23,147 acres. Other wildlife species present include desert mule deer, pronghorn antelope, coyotes, scaled quail, rattlesnakes, whiptail lizards, and spadefoot toads. Area office: (432) 364-2228, 109 S. Cockrell, Alpine, TX 79830.
From TPWD's Elephant Mountain WMA page.
Which deer management unit is Elephant Mountain WMA in?
Elephant Mountain WMA lies in TPWD white-tailed deer management unit 01 and mule deer management unit 2 and 3. TPWD publishes its harvest survey statewide; across Texas in 2025-26 it estimates 714,424 white-tailed deer hunters took 782,405 deer. The page on Texas public hunting has the statewide table.
Units: TPWD white-tailed deer management units. Harvest: TPWD Big Game Harvest Survey, 2025-26.
What other public hunting is near Elephant Mountain WMA?
The closest other places on the Annual Public Hunting Permit with a page of their own, measured edge to edge:
| Area | County | Distance |
|---|---|---|
| Black Gap WMA | Brewster | 32.4 mi |
Questions hunters ask
Do you need a permit to hunt Elephant Mountain WMA?
Yes. Hunters 17 and older need the $48 Annual Public Hunting Permit along with a Texas hunting license; hunters under 17 may hunt free with a permitted adult. TPWD's booklet adds: OSR Required.
Can you hunt deer on Elephant Mountain WMA?
Not on the Annual Public Hunting Permit: TPWD's 2026-27 booklet lists no deer season here.
Can you camp on Elephant Mountain WMA?
TPWD's booklet: Camping is permitted within the designated primitive camping area only. All public use is restricted to the camping area from two hours after official sunset until two hours before official sunrise. User should check for local burn-bans before lighting campfires (432/364-2228).
Where is Elephant Mountain WMA?
Elephant Mountain WMA is in Brewster County. The nearest towns: Alpine (22 miles). Highways nearby: TX 118.
When is Elephant Mountain WMA closed?
TPWD's 2026-27 booklet: the entire area is closed Sep. 21-25, Oct. 5-7, Nov. 3-6, Nov. 26-Dec. 13, and Jan. 5-8.
Get a Texas hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Texas are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Texas included.
Where these facts come from
- Legal game, dates, rules, permits and closures: TPWD 2026-27 Map Booklet for Public Hunting Lands, unit #725.
- Boundaries, zones and map points: TPWD Public Hunt Locator map. Acres and distances measured by FilledTag.
- Counties, highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 and Gazetteer. Lakes and rivers: USGS National Hydrography Dataset.
FilledTag is not part of the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. TPWD's booklet and posted signs are the final word on every rule; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.